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Peenemünde: Poles and Hitler’s secret weapon – the V2 rocket

V2 rocket on the launch pad at Peenemünde

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  • 1. Eng. Antoni Kocjan - Chief of the air reconnaissance service of the Polish AK (Home Army).
  • 2. V2 rocket on launch pad - Peenemünde rocket test site
  • 3. Transport of a V2 missile - Peenemünde missile test site
  • 4. V2 at start - Peenemünde rocket test site
  • 5. Rocket engineer Wernher von Braun (in civilian clothes) with military. - First from left: dr. Walter Dornberger, a close associate of von Braun in the V2 program.
  • 6. Forced laborer splitting logs - Peenemünde in January
  • 7. Forced labourers at the workbench - Peenemünde in January
  • 8. Forced labourers sorting wood - Peenemünde, missile test site
  • 9. Forced labour under supervision - Workshop in Peenemünde, between 1940-1945
  • 10. German soldiers supervise forced laborers - Working on lathes in the workshop
  • 11. Fragments of the V2 rocket in the Historical Park in Blizna - Found near the former SS military training area Heidelager
  • 12. Reconnaissance photo of the research institute Peenemünde - V-2 missiles on the Peenemünde test stand VII am 23.06.
  • 13. Wernher von Braun at his office - Space centre of the United States. On 1 July, he became Director of the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
  • 14. Dr. von Braun standing by five F-1 Engines - Part of the ‘Saturn V’ rocket, space centre in the state of Alabama, probably 1969
  • 15. Walt Disney and Wernher von Braun - In the 1950's, von Braun worked with Disney Studio as a technical director, making three films about space exploration for television. A model of the V-2 rocket is in background.
  • 16. US President J.F. Kennedy and Wernher von Braun in conversation -
  • 17. Karlshagen after the British air raid - HVA housing estate, where the scientists involved in the missile tests lived.
  • 18. Replica of the V2 rocke in Peenemünde - The original is located at the ‘Fort Bliss’ base in Texas.
  • 19. Historical-Technical Museum Peenemünde - Former terrain of the Army Research Institute and the Peenemünde power plant
  • 20. Clothes and objects of forced laborers in Peenemünde - Exhibition in the former power plant
  • 21. Exhibition on the history of the V2 missile - Historical-Technical Museum Peenemünde (display boards)
  •  22. Historic warning signs - From the time of the Army Research Institute on Usedom.
  • 23. Historical-Technical Museum Peenemünde - Main building
  • Peenemünde und die Polen - Hörspiel von "COSMO Radio po polsku" auf Deutsch - In Zusammenarbeit mit "COSMO Radio po polsku" präsentieren wir Hörspiele zu ausgewählten Themen unseres Portals.

    Peenemünde und die Polen - Hörspiel von "COSMO Radio po polsku" auf Deutsch

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1. Eng. Antoni Kocjan - Chief of the air reconnaissance service of the Polish AK (Home Army).
1. Eng. Antoni Kocjan
1. Eng. Antoni Kocjan - Chief of the air reconnaissance service of the Polish AK (Home Army). © Public domain according to Polish law, photographer unknown
2. V2 rocket on launch pad - Peenemünde rocket test site
2. V2 rocket on launch pad
2. V2 rocket on launch pad - Peenemünde rocket test site © Bundesarchiv Bild 141-1875A. License: CC-BY-SA 3.0.
3. Transport of a V2 missile - Peenemünde missile test site
3. Transport of a V2 missile
3. Transport of a V2 missile - Peenemünde missile test site © Bundesarchiv Bild 141-1875B. License: CC-BY-SA 3.0.
4. V2 at start - Peenemünde rocket test site
4. V2 at start
4. V2 at start - Peenemünde rocket test site © Bundesarchiv, Bild RH8II Bild-146-1978-Anh.026-01. License: CC-BY-SA 3.0.
1. Eng. Antoni Kocjan
Chief of the air reconnaissance service of the Polish AK (Home Army).
2. V2 rocket on launch pad
Peenemünde rocket test site
3. Transport of a V2 missile
Peenemünde missile test site
4. V2 at start
Peenemünde rocket test site
5. Rocket engineer Wernher von Braun (in civilian clothes) with military. - First from left: dr. Walter Dornberger, a close associate of von Braun in the V2 program.
5. Rocket engineer Wernher von Braun (in civilian clothes) with military.
5. Rocket engineer Wernher von Braun (in civilian clothes) with military. - First from left: dr. Walter Dornberger, a close associate of von Braun in the V2 program. © Bundesarchiv, Bild 146-1978-Anh.024-03. Lizenz: CC-BY-SA 3.0.
6. Forced laborer splitting logs - Peenemünde in January
6. Forced laborer splitting logs
6. Forced laborer splitting logs - Peenemünde in January © Bundesarchiv, RH8II Bild-B0274-43BSM. License: CC-BY-SA 3.0.
7. Forced labourers at the workbench - Peenemünde in January
7. Forced labourers at the workbench
7. Forced labourers at the workbench - Peenemünde in January © Bundesarchiv, RH8II Bild-B0270-43 BSM. License: CC-BY-SA 3.0.
8. Forced labourers sorting wood - Peenemünde, missile test site
8. Forced labourers sorting wood
8. Forced labourers sorting wood - Peenemünde, missile test site © Bundesarchiv RH8II Bild-B0276-43 BSM. License: CC-BY-SA 3.0.
5. Rocket engineer Wernher von Braun (in civilian clothes) with military.
First from left: dr. Walter Dornberger, a close associate of von Braun in the V2 program.
6. Forced laborer splitting logs
Peenemünde in January
7. Forced labourers at the workbench
Peenemünde in January
8. Forced labourers sorting wood
Peenemünde, missile test site
9. Forced labour under supervision - Workshop in Peenemünde, between 1940-1945
9. Forced labour under supervision
9. Forced labour under supervision - Workshop in Peenemünde, between 1940-1945 © Bundesarchiv RH8II Bild-B0259-43 BSM. License: CC-BY-SA 3.0.
10. German soldiers supervise forced laborers - Working on lathes in the workshop
10. German soldiers supervise forced laborers
10. German soldiers supervise forced laborers - Working on lathes in the workshop © Bundesarchiv, RH8II Bild-B0261-43 BSM. License: CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0.
11. Fragments of the V2 rocket in the Historical Park in Blizna - Found near the former SS military training area Heidelager
11. Fragments of the V2 rocket in the Historical Park in Blizna
11. Fragments of the V2 rocket in the Historical Park in Blizna - Found near the former SS military training area Heidelager © Marek Kosniowski, Wikimedia Commons. License: CC BY-SA 4.0.
12. Reconnaissance photo of the research institute Peenemünde - V-2 missiles on the Peenemünde test stand VII am 23.06.
12. Reconnaissance photo of the research institute Peenemünde
12. Reconnaissance photo of the research institute Peenemünde - V-2 missiles on the Peenemünde test stand VII am 23.06. © Public domain according to Crown copyright on Wikimedia Commons
9. Forced labour under supervision
Workshop in Peenemünde, between 1940-1945
10. German soldiers supervise forced laborers
Working on lathes in the workshop
11. Fragments of the V2 rocket in the Historical Park in Blizna
Found near the former SS military training area Heidelager
12. Reconnaissance photo of the research institute Peenemünde
V-2 missiles on the Peenemünde test stand VII am 23.06.
13. Wernher von Braun at his office - Space centre of the United States. On 1 July, he became Director of the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
13. Wernher von Braun at his office
13. Wernher von Braun at his office - Space centre of the United States. On 1 July, he became Director of the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center © NASA Office of Communications
14. Dr. von Braun standing by five F-1 Engines - Part of the ‘Saturn V’ rocket, space centre in the state of Alabama, probably 1969
14. Dr. von Braun standing by five F-1 Engines
14. Dr. von Braun standing by five F-1 Engines - Part of the ‘Saturn V’ rocket, space centre in the state of Alabama, probably 1969 © Public domain on Wikimedia Commons according to NASA copyright policy
15. Walt Disney and Wernher von Braun - In the 1950
15. Walt Disney and Wernher von Braun
15. Walt Disney and Wernher von Braun - In the 1950's, von Braun worked with Disney Studio as a technical director, making three films about space exploration for television. A model of the V-2 rocket is in background. © Public domain on Wikimedia Commons according to NASA copyright policy
16. US President J.F. Kennedy and Wernher von Braun in conversation - null
16. US President J.F. Kennedy and Wernher von Braun in conversation
16. US President J.F. Kennedy and Wernher von Braun in conversation - null © US federal government, public domain on Wikimedia Commons
13. Wernher von Braun at his office
Space centre of the United States. On 1 July, he became Director of the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
14. Dr. von Braun standing by five F-1 Engines
Part of the ‘Saturn V’ rocket, space centre in the state of Alabama, probably 1969
15. Walt Disney and Wernher von Braun
In the 1950's, von Braun worked with Disney Studio as a technical director, making three films about space exploration for television. A model of the V-2 rocket is in background.
16. US President J.F. Kennedy and Wernher von Braun in conversation
16. US President J.F. Kennedy and Wernher von Braun in conversation
17. Karlshagen after the British air raid - HVA housing estate, where the scientists involved in the missile tests lived.
17. Karlshagen after the British air raid
17. Karlshagen after the British air raid - HVA housing estate, where the scientists involved in the missile tests lived. © R.A.F., public domain according to Crown Copyright
18. Replica of the V2 rocke in Peenemünde - The original is located at the ‘Fort Bliss’ base in Texas.
18. Replica of the V2 rocke in Peenemünde
18. Replica of the V2 rocke in Peenemünde - The original is located at the ‘Fort Bliss’ base in Texas. © Monika Stefanek
19. Historical-Technical Museum Peenemünde - Former terrain of the Army Research Institute and the Peenemünde power plant
19. Historical-Technical Museum Peenemünde
19. Historical-Technical Museum Peenemünde - Former terrain of the Army Research Institute and the Peenemünde power plant © Monika Stefanek
20. Clothes and objects of forced laborers in Peenemünde - Exhibition in the former power plant
20. Clothes and objects of forced laborers in Peenemünde
20. Clothes and objects of forced laborers in Peenemünde - Exhibition in the former power plant © Monika Stefanek
17. Karlshagen after the British air raid
HVA housing estate, where the scientists involved in the missile tests lived.
18. Replica of the V2 rocke in Peenemünde
The original is located at the ‘Fort Bliss’ base in Texas.
19. Historical-Technical Museum Peenemünde
Former terrain of the Army Research Institute and the Peenemünde power plant
20. Clothes and objects of forced laborers in Peenemünde
Exhibition in the former power plant
21. Exhibition on the history of the V2 missile - Historical-Technical Museum Peenemünde (display boards)
21. Exhibition on the history of the V2 missile
21. Exhibition on the history of the V2 missile - Historical-Technical Museum Peenemünde (display boards) © Monika Stefanek
 22. Historic warning signs - From the time of the Army Research Institute on Usedom.
22. Historic warning signs
22. Historic warning signs - From the time of the Army Research Institute on Usedom. © Monika Stefanek
23. Historical-Technical Museum Peenemünde - Main building
23. Historical-Technical Museum Peenemünde
23. Historical-Technical Museum Peenemünde - Main building © Monika Stefanek
Peenemünde und die Polen - Hörspiel von "COSMO Radio po polsku" auf Deutsch - In Zusammenarbeit mit "COSMO Radio po polsku" präsentieren wir Hörspiele zu ausgewählten Themen unseres Portals.
Peenemünde und die Polen - Hörspiel von "COSMO Radio po polsku" auf Deutsch
Peenemünde und die Polen - Hörspiel von "COSMO Radio po polsku" auf Deutsch - In Zusammenarbeit mit "COSMO Radio po polsku" präsentieren wir Hörspiele zu ausgewählten Themen unseres Portals.
21. Exhibition on the history of the V2 missile
Historical-Technical Museum Peenemünde (display boards)
22. Historic warning signs
From the time of the Army Research Institute on Usedom.
23. Historical-Technical Museum Peenemünde
Main building
Peenemünde und die Polen - Hörspiel von "COSMO Radio po polsku" auf Deutsch
In Zusammenarbeit mit "COSMO Radio po polsku" präsentieren wir Hörspiele zu ausgewählten Themen unseres Portals.
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V2 rocket on the launch pad at Peenemünde
V2 rocket on the launch pad at Peenemünde

September 1992. Germany is preparing to celebrate the second anniversary of reunification on 3 October. At the same time, in the small village of Peenemünde on Usedom in Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, with a population of less than 300, preparations are also underway for the 50th anniversary of the successful start of the V2 rocket (the “V” stands for “Vergeltungswaffe”, or “retaliation weapon”) on 3 October 1942. The German Aerospace Industries Association (Bundesverband der Deutschen Luft- und Raumfahrtindustrie) planned to celebrate this day as the birth of space flight. However, the association failed to mention the original military purpose of the rockets, which were built during the Second World War in the research centre on Usedom, as well as the many thousands of people in London, Antwerp and elsewhere who were killed or injured by aerial bombardments.

The planned events in Peenemünde caused an international outcry, and the celebrations were called off – although only at the last minute. This led to a debate, which ran for several years, about the role of science in the service of a totalitarian state. The Army Research Centre (Heeresversuchsanstalt) on Usedom, which at that time was one of the largest rocket construction sites in the world, is a good example of such a relationship.

The first tests in which liquid rocket fuel was used were already conducted at the beginning of the 1930s in the Kummersdorf research facility, about 60 kilometres to the south of Berlin. However, the proximity to the large city made it impossible to expand the test site. The Third Reich had in the meantime set itself the goal of owning a completely unstoppable weapon. It was decided that the research centre should move to Peenemünde, a small fishing village on the northernmost point of the Baltic Sea island of Usedom. The site for the investment was selected personally by Wernher von Braun, a brilliant scientist and one of the main designers of the V2 rocket, who dedicated his work entirely to Hitler’s regime. The strategic location of Peenemünde appeared ideal as a military testing ground. The strip of coast on which the village lay made it possible to follow the flight path of the rockets for up to 300 kilometres. The village was moved to another location, and in 1936 was replaced by a military testing facility, with a base and an airfield for use by the German Air Force (Luftwaffe).

During the first few years of the facility’s existence, the scientists, engineers, and military experts were provided with essentially unlimited funds. The idea of creating a miracle weapon overshadowed everything else. When the Second World War broke out, work on developing the rockets intensified. An increasing problem, however, was that there were not enough people to work on the site. The only option was to bring in labour from other countries, even though the project had been classified as “top secret”. The first forced labourers arrived in Peenemünde and were later joined by prisoners of war and concentration camp prisoners, among them internees from the Ravensbrück concentration camp. Their number increased from one month to the next. Most of them were Poles and Russians, although they also included French, British, Czech, and Dutch citizens. According to estimates, between 10,000 and 12,000 forced labourers were employed in Peenemünde in total.[1]

 

[1] Günther Jikeli (ed.): Raketen und Zwangsarbeit in Peenemünde, Introduction, Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Schwerin 2014.